We all love our fries but baking them as a healthier alternative doesn’t necessarily guarantee as good a taste. That’s why we came up with a recipe to fix the problem! Our crispy baked french fries are cured in sugar before baking, producing that familiar golden color with the crispness we demand.
Did you know there seems to be a discrepancy over who came up with the term french fries? You would think it would automatically be the French because of the name, but actually the Belgians claim credit for it too.
It seems the Belgians had trouble getting a good supply of fish when the rivers froze during the cold winters, so they came up with the idea of frying small pieces of potatoes to supplement their diet.
On the other hand, the French claim a French army medic was held captive in Prussia during the Seven Year War and was forced to cultivate potatoes during his captivity. He was so enamored by their taste that once freed, he introduced them to France but was met with quite a lot of resistance because they were thought to cause disease—even leprosy!
Our hero persisted, and eventually street vendors sold potatoes cooked ‘the French way’ (meaning cut in long strips and fried) throughout Europe. They made their way to the States where Thomas Jefferson even enjoyed them. Today when we say ‘fries,’ we mean anything from thick cut steak fries to skinny fast food fries.
Whether it was the Belgians or the French who invented one of our favorite sides, we often smother them with seasoning, ketchup, vinegar or even mayo. Our crispy baked fries taste so good we can eat them plain!
crispy baked French fries recipe
what you'll need
- 2 - 2 1/2 lbs Russet potatoes scrubbed clean
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
let's do it
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Cut each potato into quarters by first cutting it in half lengthwise, then cut each half in half lengthwise once again. You can cut the quartered potatoes into whatever size wedges you prefer.
- Once you’ve cut all of your potatoes into wedges, sprinkle them with granulated sugar to coat completely then transfer the wedges to a colander. Place it in the sink or a large bowl to drain for 30 mins.
- While the potatoes are curing in the sugar, stir the remaining ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.
- After the potatoes have cured in the sugar for 30 mins, dump them into the center of a clean, lint free kitchen towel (or paper towels) and blot them dry (do not rinse).
- Place the wedges in a large bowl, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, toss to coat then sprinkle the spice mixture evenly over the potatoes, tossing again to coat completely.
- Spread the wedges evenly on a large baking sheet, bake 20 mins on the first side, then flip the potatoes over and bake an additional 25−30 mins, depending on how thick you have cut your wedges.
- Remove the potatoes from the oven, sprinkle with a little more salt if you would like and try to wait a few minutes before you dig in—these babies are hot!
